Right now I am absolutely loving:

-The way Max feels about his Chucks.  They are on him ALLTHETIME and even though he has blisters on his ankles and is grouchy that there isn’t enough room for his toes to move, he cannot and WILL not be persuaded to wear anything else. Odd, too, considering he wanted nothing to do with them or the short socks he’s been sporting a mere 2 weeks ago. Fickle, fickle heart.

– The sound of birds flying into our windows.  Please don’t think I’m disturbed – I’m really quite okay.  It’s just that the birds smacking themselves into the glass is a sign of how deliriously they are feeling in this good weather.  None have been hurt, thank goodness, and each time they land on the nearest branch and cock their heads and stare in at us as if to say, “How’d that happen?!”

– Spring!  Green grass, purple and yellow tulips and the buds on the verge of bursting on the crab apple tree.  It’s almost too much of a good thing.  Almost.

– Susan being back in town! Two weeks in Rome was two weeks too long.  I have spoken!

– Fresh strawberries on sale at the grocery store.  Not the same as warmed from the sun and sold at a corner stand in Modesto, mind you, but it’s the only way we can have strawberries and ice cream like we did tonight.

– Being able to fire up the old Weber grill.  While we’re on the topic, can you clarify something for me?  What do you do/how do you say what you do with fire outside.  Here’s the deal: folks here tend to say their “Grilling out.”  As if you would do it in, right?  Meanwhile, I grew up with barbecue being a verb (as in ‘Dad is barbecuing tonight.’ or ‘Set the table!  We’re having barbecued chicken!’) and my in-laws use it as a noun (‘Why don’t you all come over?  Dad made barbecue.’)  It’s all very confusing and I don’t know how to refer to the manly art anymore.

– The way Jac takes care of me and the kids and mostly EVERYTHING so much of the time.

– Being able to enjoy some Netflix after our Lenten fast.  Heaven!

– Walking with Julie and Lacey and the conversations we have.

– The way my body feels the day after one of our walks. (We did 6+ miles the other night. Heck yes!)

– Being able to jog for longer stretches without succumbing to the asthma squeeze.

– Planning the bachelorette bash for race weekend!  Start blushing now, friend!

– Seeing and hearing the joy Philip is getting out of reading.  You can’t help but giggle with him.

– That the college students are gone!  Let the next two weeks of quiet commence!

– OUR college students coming home!  Counting down until we see Elisabeth. . .

-Receiving all the graduation announcements in the mail.  Though it does make me feel aged.

– Hearing the kids making plans for the lake already.  Summers nearly here!